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Thursday Movie Picks: The Chosen One

That's a lot of pressure, right? To know you've been chosen to do something that's probably really dangerous and important. This week Wanderer asks us to talk about said chosen ones. We're about to get franchise-y up in here.1) Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2

The boy who lived, come to die. Words cannot describe how much the Harry Potter franchise means to me. This film is my favorite of the bunch. Mostly because Ron and Hermione finally kissed.2) Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith

Okay, so the Star Wars prequels were mostly awful but RotS was at least watchable. You were the chosen one Anakin, and look where you are now. Obi Wan kicked your ass.3) The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King

Frodo finally brings the ring to Mordor. He never expects to make it, but he does. I love these movies too. I only re-watch the extended versions though, especially of this one. One does not simply exclude that Saruman death scene.

God I so detest RotK. I think they won for editing which even in extended cut is atrocious. The one who should have won anything was Mortensen and he didnt get nominated for either of those. SW is not my thing but McGregor almost rescues those. DH2 was very good but it had too much going on as opposed to DH1 where almost nothing happened

No surprise to see a Harry Potter show up. I enjoyed the books a great deal though I was never an ardent fan, I think managing a book store during the entire HP craze and having to deal with all the attendant zaniness of the releases tamped down my enthusiasm for them. The movies are variable, the first was awful but they became progressively better and I did like the one you selected.

I barely made it through the original Star Wars trilogy so I never watched any of the newer ones.

Sorry but I loathed the Lord of the Rings films, the idea of watching an extended version is on par with a root canal without novocaine for me. I will say they were well made just not for me. However all fit the theme superbly.

I purposely avoided the HP franchise because I was sure he'd be everywhere. When I did that I decided to also forgo any sort of series for my picks which made it a bit trickier but I did find these three.

Excalibur (1981) - Director John Boorman’s amazingly evocative version of Le Morte d’Arthur where all the elements-casting, cinematography, acting, music, visual style and direction blend seamlessly. Following a prologue explaining how Excalibur came to be in the stone we meet the young squire Arthur (Nigel Terry) who is guided by Merlin (a brilliant Nicol Williamson) to the realization that he is The Chosen One by removing the Sword in the Stone. Initially as King Arthur he unites England, befriends Lancelot, takes Guenevere as his Queen and formulates the Knights of the Round Table but then his malicious half-sister Morgana (Helen Mirren) begins to take her revenge for the grudge she’s long held against both Arthur’s father and Merlin and a darkness descends on the land. Loaded with performers who went on to greater fame-Gabriel Bryne, Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart and Mirren among them.

The Ten Commandments (1956)-C.B. DeMille’s final film is a huge pageant telling the story of how Moses came to realize he is The Chosen One to lead the Exodus to Mount Sinai and receive the Ten Commandments. Florid and often arch but loaded with great set design and effects that are still impressive 60 years later. Charlton Heston’s granite stiffness is actually a perfect fit for Moses, MISS Anne Baxter could not be more dramatically entertaining as Nefretiri torn between two men and emoting for all she’s worth over it and they are not alone, everybody more or less projects to the back row. Both Yul Brynner and Yvonne de Carlo are more naturalistic but they’re exceptions. If you enjoy BIG pictures making BIG statements this is one of the best.

The Last Starfighter (1984)-Teenager Alex Rogan (Lance Guest) spends all his free time playing the video game Starfighter at which he’s expert. He doesn’t think much of it when the new guy in his trailer court (Robert Preston) notices how good he is but the next thing he knows Preston has spirited him away to the edge of the galaxy and told him that he is The Chosen One who can save the universe! Turns out the video game was a test and Alex and his compatriot lizard/man Grig (Dan O'Herlihy) are leading the Star League in fighting the evil Kodan forces.

I have no clue why I didn't think of Harry Potter because I love the whole set of films. I also love, love, love LOTR and can't think why that didn't cross my mind either. Beautiful films and the last one deserved all the oscars in my book. Ahh the Star Wars films which were....not great but a good pick for this week

Ah Harry and Anakin - they are indeed chosen ones. Although I feel that Frodo took it upon himself to take the ring buuuut that's just my thought on it. LOTR are one (i count them as one) of my favourite films so I am always pleased to see them show up and you;re right about the extended editions

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